Park City Ski Patrol ratifies first contract with Vail Resorts

Almost one year after voting to organize as a union, the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association announced on Tuesday the ratification of its first contract with Vail Resorts, according to a press release from CWA Local 7781, The United Professional Ski Patrols of America. The two-year agreement was passed by a two-to-one margin on Monday, Nov. 14.

The membership consists of patrollers from the former Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort, and the newly created Mountain Safety patrol, who now operate as a single department at the Vail Resorts managed Park City Resort.

Highlights of the agreement include: expanded educational and professional development opportunities; a strengthened avalanche dog program; a joint patrol/management safety committee to address safety issues; a grievance and and expedited arbitration procedure to work out disputes; just cause in disciplinary actions

"Just knowing that we are no longer at-will employees and have access to a legal process to address safety issues or work out potential disputes is a big deal," said Stuart Johnson, a patroller. "This is good first step."

The negotiating committee was comprised of members representing patrollers at both the Park City and Canyons Village base areas and Mountain Safety. The contract will cover about 200 employees through the end of the 2017-2018 ski season.